化身博士-第2节

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kefor　the　stranger．

Mr　Utterson　stepped　forward　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder．‘Mr　Hyde？’

‘Yes，that's　my　name，’said　the　stranger　coolly．‘　What　doyou　want？’

‘I　see　that　you're　going　in．I'm　an　old　friend　of　DoctorJekyll's．My　name　is　Utterson．You　must　have　heard　myname—may　I　come　in　with　you？’

‘Doctor　Jekyll　is　not　at　home，’replied　Mr　Hyde．‘How　didyou　know　me？’he　added　sharply．

‘First　let　me　see　your　face，’replied　the　lawyer．

Mr　Hyde　hesitated　for　a　moment，　then　he　stood　under　thestreet　light　and　the　lawyer　saw　his　face．‘Thank　you，’　saidMr　Utterson．‘Now　I　shall　know　you　again．　It　may　beuseful．’

‘Yes，’said　Mr　Hyde，‘it　may　indeed　be　useful．Here，too，is　my　address．You　may　need　it　one　day．’He　gave　the　lawyerhis　address，which　was　in　a　poor　part　of　London．

‘Good　God！’thought　the　lawyer，‘does　Hyde　know　aboutJekyll's　will？Is　that　what　he's　thinking　of？’But　he　saidnothing．

‘And　now，’said　Mr　Hyde，‘How　did　you　know　me？’

‘You　were　described　to　me．’

‘Who　did　that？’

‘I　know　people　who　know　you．’

‘Who？’　asked　Mr　Hyde　sharply．

‘Doctor　Jekyll，for　example，’said　the　lawyer．

‘He　never　told　you！’cried　Mr　Hyde　in　sudden　anger．‘Don't　lie　to　me！’And　before　the　lawyer　could　answer，　heturned　the　key　in　the　lock　and　disappeared　into　the　house．

Mr　Utterson　stared　at　the　closed　door．‘Why　do　I　dislikehim　so　much？’he　said　to　himself．‘Enfield　was　right—thereis　something　evil　about　the　man．Poor　Henry　Jekyll，I'm　worried　about　you．　Your　new　friend　will　mean　trouble　for　you．’

Round　the　corner　from　the　narrow　street　there　was　a　squareof　handsome　old　houses．One　of　these　was　Doctor．Jekyll's　house，and　Mr　Utterson　knocked　at　the　front　door．　The　servant　answered　and　told　him　that　Doctor　Jekyll　was　not　athome．

‘I　saw　Mr　Hyde　go　in　by　the　laboratory　door　in　the　street　atthe　back　of　the　house，　said　the　lawyer．

‘That's　right，Mr　Utterson，’replied　the　servant．　‘MrHyde　has　his　own　key，　and　comes　and　goes　when　he　likes．　Wehave　orders　from　Doctor　Jekyll　to　obey　him．’

Mr　Utterson　walked　home　more　worried　than　ever．

A　fortnight　later　Doctor　Jekyll　gave　a　dinner　party　for　a　fewold　friends．Mr　Utterson　was　among　them　and　he　remained　after　the　others　had　left．

‘I've　been　wanting　to　speak　to　you　for　some　time，Jekyll，’said　the　lawyer，‘about　your　will．’

Doctor　Jekyll　was　a　tall，　well－made　man　of　fifty　with　asmooth，　kindly　face．‘My　poor　friend，’he　said，‘you　doworry　unnecessarily，　you　know．　Like　poor　Lanyon　when　Itold　him　about　my　new　ideas．“Imaginative　rubbish”he　calledthem…　I'm　very　disappointed　in　Lanyon．’

But　the　lawyer　did　not　want　to　talk　about　Doctor　Lanyon．‘You　know　I've　never　agreed　with　your　will，’he　continued．‘You've　told　me　often　enough，’said　his　friend　sharply．

‘Well，I've　learnt　something　about　your　friend　Hyde，’continued　the　lawyer．

The　colour　of　the　doctor's　handsome　face　changed　from　pinkto　greyish…white．‘I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more，’he　said．‘You　don't　understand．　I'm　in　a　very　difficult，painful　situation．

‘Tell　me　everything，’said　Mr　Utterson，‘and　I'll　do　mybest　to　help　you．’

‘You're　very　kind，but　this　is　a　private　matter．I'll　tell　youone　thing—I　can　get　rid　of　Mr　Hyde　any　time　I　want．　Youmust　understand，however，　that　I　take　a　great　interest　in　poorHyde．I　know　you've　seen　him—he　told　me，　and　I'm　afraidhe　wasn't　very　polite　to　you．　But　I　really　do　care　about　him．And　if　anything　happens　to　me，I　want　you　to　promise　tomake　sure　that　he　inherits　my　money．’

‘I　cannot　pretend　that　I　shall　ever　like　him，’　said　thelawyer．

‘I'm　not　asking　you　to　like　him，’said　his　friend．‘I　onlyask　you　to　help　him，when　I'm　gone．’

‘I　promise，’said　Mr　Utterson　sadly．

　　



　


3　　The　Carew　murder

　　

One　night　in　London，nearly　a　year　later，　a　servant　girlwas　sitting　at　her　bedroom　window，　looking　out　at　themoonlit　street．　She　saw　a　tall，　handsome　old　man　with　whitehair　coming　along　the　street，and　a　shorter，younger　manwalkingtowardshim．The　old　man　spoke　politely　to　theyounger　one．　He　seemed，　the　girl　said　later，　to　be　asking　hisway．　Then　the　girl　looked　more　closely　at　the　younger　manand　recognized　him．

‘It　was　Mr　Hyde，　’she　said　later．‘He　once　visited　my　master．’

Mr　Hyde，　the　girl　said，　was　carrying　a　heavy　stick．　He　wasplaying　with　it　impatiently　as　he　listened　to　the　old　man．　Thensuddenly　he　seemed　to　explode　with　anger．

‘He　was　like　a　madman，’the　servant　girl　said．‘　He　shookhis　stick　at　the　old　man，who　stepped　back　in　surprise．　Thenhe　hit　the　old　man　violently　with　the　stick　and　knocked　him　tothe　ground．　He　beat　the　helpless　body　again　and　again．　I　couldhear　the　bones　breaking…　It　was　so　terrible　that　I　began　tofeel　ill．Then　everything　went　black　and　I　don't　remember　anymore．’

It　was　two　o’clock　in　the　morning　before　she　was　consciousagain，　and　able　to　call　the　police．　The　murderer　had　disappeared，but　the　dead　man　was　still　lying　on　the　ground　withthe　murder　weapon　beside　him．The　stick　had　broken　in　themiddle，　and　one　half　still　lay　beside　the　murdered　man．　Thepolice　decided　that　the　murderer　had　carried　away　the　otherhalf．A　gold　watch　and　a　purse　were　found　in　the　dead　man’spockets，　but　no　cards　or　papers—　except　a　letter　addressed　toMr　Utterson．

A　policeman　brought　this　letter　to　the　lawyer　the　nextmorning．Together　they　drove　to　the　police　station　where　thebody　had　been　taken．

A　police　inspector　showed　him　the　body．

‘Yes，I　recognize　him，’said　Mr　Utterson　heavily．‘He　isSir　Danvers　Carew．’

‘Thank　you，　sir，’said　the　inspector．‘And　do　you　recognizethis？’　He　showed　Mr　Utterson　the　broken　stick　and　told　himthe　servant　girl’s　story．

Mr　Utterson　knew　the　stick　at　once．‘That’s　HenryJekyll’s　stick！’he　said　to　himself．‘I　gave　it　to　him　long　ago．’

‘Is　this　Hyde　a　short，　evil－looking　man？’he　asked．

‘That’s　how　the　servant　girl　described　him，　sir，’agreed　theinspector．

‘Come　with　me，’said　Mr　Utterson　to　the　inspector．‘Ithink　I　know　where　he　lives．’

Mr　Utterson　led　him　to　the　address　on　Mr　Hyde’　s　visitingcard．It　was　in　a　poor　part　of　London，in　a　dirty　street　full　ofcheap　bars　and　eating－houses．　This　was　the　home　of　HenryJekyll’s　favourite　friend—the　man　who　would　inherit　Jekyll’squarter　of　a　million　pounds．

An　old　servant　opened　the　door．Under　her　silvery　hair　wasa　smooth　face　with　a　false　smile　and　evil　eyes，　but　she　was　polite　enough．

‘Yes，’she　said，‘Mr　Hyde　lives　here．But　he’s　not　athome．　My　master　came　in　very　late　last　night．He　left　againafter　only　an　hour．’

‘Was　that　unusual？’asked　the　inspector．

‘Not　at　all，’replied　the　servant．‘He’s　often　away，andfrequently　stays　away　for　months　at　a　time．’

‘We　would　like　to　see　his　flat，’said　Mr　Utterson．

‘Oh，I　can't　do　that，sir—’began　the　servant．

‘This　gentleman　is　a　police　inspector，’said　Mr　Utterson．

‘Ah！’　said　the　servant，looking　unnaturally　pleased　aboutit，‘　Mr　Hyde’s　in　trouble！What’s　he　done？’

Mr　Utterson　and　the　inspector　looked　at　each　other．‘Hedoesn't　seem　a　very　popular　person，’said　the　inspector．Heturned　to　the　servant．‘Now　please　let　us　in　and　we'll　have　alook　around．’

Mr　Hyde　had　only　two　rooms　in　the　house．These　were　extremely　comfortable　and　in　excellent　taste，with　beautiful　pictures　on　the　walls　and　rich　carpets　on　the　floor．Everythingwas　wildly　untidy，however，and　the　fireplace　was　full　of　halfburnt　papers．　Among　these　the　detective　found　part　of　acheque　book．He　also　found　the　other　half　of　the　murderweapon．

‘Excellent！’he　said．‘Now　let’s　visit　the　bank　and　see　ifthey　recognize　this　cheque　book．’

Sure　enough，　the　bank　held　several　thousand　pounds　in　anaccount　in　the　name　of　Edward　Hyde．

‘We've　got　him　now，　sir，’said　the　inspector．‘We've　gotthe　murder　weapon，and　we've　got　his　cheque　book．　Now　weonly　need　his　description　on　the“Wanted”notices．’

This　was　not　so　easy．　There　were　no　photographs　of　thewanted　man　and　no　two　people　could　agree　about　his　appearance．They　all　agreed　on　one　thing，　however．‘An　evil　man，sir，’the　servant　girl　said．‘You　could　see　it　in　his　face．’

　　
4　　Doctor　Jekyll　receives　a　letter

　　

Later　that　same　afternoon　Mr　Utterson　found　his　way　toDoctor　Jekyll’s　house．Jekyll’s　servant，　Poole，　let　himin　at　once　and　took　him　through　the　kitchen　and　across　theback　garden　to　the　laboratory　behind　the　house．It　was　thefirst　time　that　Mr　Utterson　had　seen　his　friend’s　laboratory，and　he　looked　around　curiously．

The　old　servant　led　Mr　Utterson　through　the　laboratory　andup　some　stairs　to　the　doctor’s　private　study　above．This　was　alarge　room　with　tall，　glass－fronted　cupboards，　a　large　mirrorand　a　big，businesslike　table．A　good　fire　burned　in　the　fireplace　and　beside　it　sat　Doctor　Jekyll，　looking　white　and　ill．　Ina　thin，　tired　voice　he　welcomed　his　friend．

‘Have　you　heard　the　news？’said　Mr　Utterson　after　the　oldservant　had　left．

‘The　newsboys　were　shouting　about　it　in　the　street，’DoctorJekyll　said．‘A　terrible　b